Non-lethal ballistic

ABSTRACT

An air-burst detonation ballistic ( 10 ) for grenade launchers. The ballistic ( 10 ) can be fired from an unmodified grenade launcher, such as M-79, M-203, Granatpistole, and Mk 19 grenade launchers. The less-than-lethal ballistic ( 10 ) comprises a concussion element ( 13 ), a phosphorescent ( 13 ), and a chemical irritant ( 11 ). The nose of the ballistic comprise an energy-absorbing cavity ( 20 ) and a switch ( 21 ) preventing detonation of the ballistic ( 10 ) on impact.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 09/566,103, entitled “Non-Lethal Ballistic”,filed on May 5, 2000, which claimed the benefit of the filing of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/132,555, entitled“Personnel Immobilization Devices”, filed on May 5, 1999, and thespecifications thereof are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)

[0003] The present invention relates to ballistic devices forimmobilizing personnel.

[0004] 2. Background Art

[0005] Each year in the United States alone, hundreds of citizens areshot and killed by police officers who have no other option than to firea lethal ballistic in order to protect themselves or innocent people. Ina growing number of cases, the citizens who are shot and killed bypolice are unarmed, but are presenting a real or perceived threat to theofficer or others. If police officers were able to use aless-than-lethal ballistic to incapacitate the suspect, many lives wouldbe spared.

[0006] At present, law enforcement officers have very few options whenconfronting a dangerous suspect. They can use lethal ballistics fromstandard weapons or fire rubber-covered bullets or beanbag rounds. Bothrubber-covered bullets and beanbag rounds can be lethal. Beanbags havethe additional disadvantage of only being effective at close range. Teargas canisters employ timed fuses, and can be thrown back at officersemploying the canisters. The present invention provides an additionalweapon in the law enforcement arsenal, namely a less-than-lethalballistic not requiring impact on a suspect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION)

[0007] The present invention is of an air-burst detonation ballistic forgrenade launchers. In the preferred embodiment, a sensor detonates theballistic upon intersection of a beam, such as an infrared or acousticbeam, or detonation occurs via filament ignition wires connectable tomicroprocessor detonation control on the grenade launcher, orradar-based detonation is employed. The ballistic can be fired from anunmodified grenade launcher, such as M-79, M-203, Granatpistole, and Mk19 grenade launchers. The ballistic employs a concussion elementcreating on detonation a report between approximately 120-300 decibelsand an overpressure between approximately 1.8-3.0 psi, and/or aphosphorescent creating a flash between approximately 300-700 lumens,and/or a chemical irritant, such as capsaicin. The nose of the ballisticcomprises an energy-absorbing cavity and a switch preventing detonationof the ballistic on impact. No shrapnel is created on detonation.

[0008] The present invention is also of a less-than-lethal ballisticcomprising a concussion element, a phosphorescent, and a chemicalirritant.

[0009] The present invention is further of a less-than-lethal ballisticfor grenade launchers comprising a nose comprising an energy-absorbingcavity and a switch preventing detonation of the ballistic on impact.

[0010] A primary object of the present invention is to provide aless-than-lethal ballistic for law enforcement applications.

[0011] A primary advantage of the present invention is that it can beused to immobilize a suspect at distances up to 100 meters (or greaterwith less accuracy) without actually hitting the suspect and causingserious injury or death.

[0012] Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scopeof applicability of the present invention will be set forth in part inthe detailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilledin the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned bypractice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the inventionmay be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities andcombinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form apart of the specification, illustrate several embodiments of the presentinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose ofillustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not to beconstrued as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

[0014] FIGS. 1(a)-(d) are side, side section, end, and end section viewsof the preferred infrared or acoustic triggered ballistic of theinvention;

[0015] FIGS. 2(a)-(c) are side, side section, and end views of thepreferred filament ignition wire triggered ballistic of the invention;and

[0016]FIG. 3 is a side section view of the preferred radar triggeredballistic of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUTTHE INVENTION)

[0017] The present invention is of a less-than-lethal ballistic notrequiring impact on a suspect. The ballistic is designed to detonate atclose proximity to a suspect. This creates an “area-of-effect” ballisticthat does not require direct impact on the suspect, thereby greatlyreducing the risk of serious injury or death. The ballistic attacks thesensory system of the suspect, namely sight, hearing, smell, taste, andtouch. Each of these senses is preferably simultaneously attacked, withthe object that the nervous system is overwhelmed, thereby causingdisorientation, nausea, and a temporary shutdown of the nervous system.

[0018] Different embodiments may be employed that are tailored todifferent tactical situations. The preferred embodiments include:

[0019] 1. An infrared system that combines a sensor inside the ballisticthat detonates the ballistic when it intersects an infrared beam. (SeeFIG. 1.)

[0020] 2. An acoustic system that combines a photo-cell sensor insidethe ballistic that detonates the ballistic when it intersects a seriesof sound waves. (See FIG. 1.)

[0021] 3. An electronic system that uses a set of thin wires that areattached to the ballistic and carry an electrical current sent from amicroprocessor on the firing platform to detonate the ballistic at thedesired distance. (See FIG. 2.)

[0022] 4. A radar-based ballistic incorporating a transponder preferablytracked by a radar system located on the firing platform. (See FIG. 3.)

[0023] Additional technologies, whether available at present or in thefuture, can be used to detonate the ballistic of the invention.

[0024] It is preferred that detonation of the ballistic occur in the airabove or near a suspect. This has the advantage of enabling theincapacitation of the subject when hidden behind a wall or other sourceof cover. It also reduces the likelihood of injury. It is known thatwhen concussive devices explode on the ground, adjacent a wall, orparticularly in a corner, the concussive effect can be amplified andcause injury to the suspect.

[0025] The preferred firing platforms for the ballistic of the inventionare conventional M-79 and M-203 grenade launchers. The M-79 is astand-alone unit that has been widely used by the U.S. military. TheM-203 can be attached to a shotgun or assault rifle. The firing platformpreferably comes equipped with a laser range-finder such as commonlyused for hunting wildlife. The preferred caliber of the ballistic is37.5-40 mm, conforming to presently available firing platforms.Additional platforms include the German-made Granatpistole and theAmerican-made Mk 19 Model 3 automatic grenade launcher. The M-79, M-203,and Granatpistole all have effective firing ranges up to 350-400 meters.The vehicle-mounted Mk 19 has an effective range of 1,600 meters.

[0026] An especially preferred launch platform for radar-triggeredballistics comprises a 40 mm launcher with an electronics package thatis surface mounted on the launcher. The electronics package preferablycomprises an optical rangefinder, 286 or better microprocessor, LEDdisplay, small radar system and a radio transmitter.

[0027] The radar system preferably operates in the 76 to 77 GHz rangeand has a beam width of 30 degrees. The benefit of operating at 76 to 77GHz is that most collision-avoidance radars currently being installed invehicles operate in this frequency range. In addition, the 30-degreebeam width for the radar antenna allows the system to easily track atransponder in the ballistic without altering the orientation of thefiring platform to perform such a task. Operating at 76 to 77 GHz with a30-degree beam width reduces the size of the radar antenna on the firingplatform to about one inch by one inch. The total weight of theelectronics package is preferably about 2½ pounds. The total weight ofthe launch platform is preferably about 10½ pounds.

[0028] The especially preferred launch platform is a breakfront,single-shot design with a 24-inch barrel made of blued steel. Unlike theM-79 or M-203, the bore on the variable-range launch platform ispreferably rifled with four grooves, right hand twist, although asmooth-bore barrel is possible. A standard wooden butt-stock or foldingstock (to allow easier storage in patrol cars) may be employed.

[0029] The especially preferred launch platform is designed to beoperated as follows:

[0030] (1) The operator aims the launch plafform at the target.

[0031] (2) The distance to target is determined by the range finder andthis information is digitized and sent to the on-board microprocessor (adistance in front or behind the target can be also used if desired).

[0032] (3) The microprocessor calculates the distance to target and themuzzle velocity of the ballistic (250 feet per second) to determine theangle of inclination to set the launch platform. This information isrelayed to the operator through an LED display on the launch platform.

[0033] (4) The operator raises the launch platform to the proper angleof inclination and then fires the ballistic.

[0034] (5) The operator then keeps the launch platform trained on thetarget. This allows the range finder to continue to send digitized rangeinformation to the microprocessor to determine if there is any change inthe distance to target.

[0035] Any changes are immediately calculated by the microprocessor andcan be used to change the point of initiation of the ballistic.

[0036] (6) As the ballistic leaves the barrel, it passes over a sensor,which then turns on a transponder located near the rear of theballistic.

[0037] (7) The radar system located on the launch platform tracks thetransponder on the ballistic. This information is sent to themicroprocessor.

[0038] (8) With information about the location of both the target andthe ballistic now stored in the microprocessor, the microprocessor willdetermine the time necessary to send radio signal energy to an electricmatch, which then detonates the ballistic.

[0039] Operation of the system requires little or no skill on the partof the operator to deliver an extremely accurate ballistic at a statictarget. With a modicum of training and practice, the operator should beable to accurately deliver a ballistic that detonates in close proximityto a moving target. In addition, with practice other nuances of thesystem such as off-setting the detonation in relation to the target toachieve greater surprise and effect should become familiar to theoperator.

[0040] The preferred effects of the ballistic are as follows: Ondeflagration, the ballistic preferably creates a fireball, preferably upto 2 meters in diameter, and a loud report, preferably in the range of120-300 decibels. The ballistic preferably causes a shock wave(overpressure) to hit the suspect with from 1.8-3.0 psi of energy.Phosphorescent material in the ballistic preferably causes a brightflash blinding the suspect of between approximately 300-700 mW/cm². Inaddition, the ballistic preferably deploys a chemical irritant (e.g.,tear gas), most preferably capsaicin, which makes comfortable breathingdifficult for the suspect. The desired total effect is to disorient thesuspect to give law enforcement officers time to close in and make anarrest. The ballistic preferably comprises a fail-safe fuse mechanismfor operator safety and an impact disarming system, or crush switch,that prevents the ballistic from detonating if it hits the suspect. Anenergy-absorbing air-pocket should also be employed in the nose tominimize injury if the ballistic hits the suspect.

[0041] Other preferred or optional characteristics of the ballistic ofthe invention are as follows: The casing should be of a soft materialthat will liquefy upon detonation. At the same time, the casing must bestrong enough to get the ballistic to the target intact. The casingmaterial must also not leave an unwanted residue in the barrel of thefiring platform. The chemical agents included cannot be volatile enoughto cause serious skin burns and cannot be unstable enough to ignite whenthe ballistic detonates. The detonation mechanisms in the ballisticshould also liquefy so as not to create potentially lethal projectileson detonation. Phosphorescent materials in the ballistic should not beable to ignite clothing of the suspect or other surrounding matter. Theballistic can be designed to emit a high-pitched whine during travel (aswith the well-known German ballistic referred to as the “Screamin'Mimie”).

[0042] The ballistic can also be made and deployed for military uses.For example, flechettes could be spread on detonation, useful in hittingan enemy soldier around the corner of a building, behind a tree or wall,or dug into a trench or foxhole. A range of additional ballistics couldbe included to deploy smoke, incendiaries (with or withoutmetal-piercing ballistic noses), flares, and the like. Of course, theless-than-lethal embodiments of the ballistic have application inmilitary contexts where capture of an enemy soldier is desired, such aspeacekeeping operations.

[0043] Referring to the figures, FIGS. 1(a)-(d) are side, side section,end, and end section views of the preferred infrared or acoustictriggered ballistic 10 of the invention. It preferably comprises thefollowing components: tearing agent or smoke powder pack 11, dispersingcharge 12, flash/concussion powder pack 13, fuse igniting sensor strips14, propellant 15, propellant primer 16, shell casing 17,electrically-ignitable fusing 18, center fusing 19, energy-absorbingair-pocket/switch cavity 20, and energy-absorbing nose/switch 21.

[0044] FIGS. 2(a)-(c) are side, side section, and end views of thepreferred filament ignition wire triggered ballistic 30 of theinvention. It preferably comprises the following components: tearingagent or smoke powder pack 11, dispersing charge 12, flash/concussionpowder pack 13, propellant 15, propellant primer 16, shell casing 17,wadding surrounded by filament ignition wires 31, energy-absorbingair-pocket/switch cavity 20, and energy-absorbing nose/switch 21.

[0045]FIG. 3 is a side section view of the preferred radar triggeredballistic 50 of the invention. It preferably comprises the followingcomponents: ogive 101, chamber 102, parachute support 103, pusher plate104, squib 105 (e.g., Davey fire N28F electric igniter), parachute 106,electronic package (radar-based trigger assembly with transponder) 107,shock absorber 108, seal 109, center tube 110, expelling charge 111(e.g., 3 grams Zr/KClO₄), energetic material 112 (preferably about 20grams), M212 cartridge 113, and 38 cartridge assembly 114.

[0046] The radar triggered, variable-range less-than-lethal ballistic ofthe invention is preferably 37.5 mm to 40 mm in diameter, between 7.96inches to 9 inches long and weighs approximately 75 grams. The casing ispreferably made of LAST-A-FOAM FR-6714, a rigid foam material thatfractures into extremely small low-weight particles under explosivestress. The fragments rapidly undergo deceleration because of their lowdensities and small size. A rubber shock absorber ½ inch thick and ¼inches in diameter and weighing less than eight grams is preferably usedto protect the base of the projectile when it is launched. The shockabsorber is preferably not attached to the projectile but rather trailsthe projectile as it leaves the barrel. Due to the light weight andshape of the rubber shock absorber, it will quickly decelerate and willnot travel more than 20 meters from the point of launch.

[0047] A M212 Assembly is preferably used to launch the radar triggeredprojectile of the invention. The M212 Assembly is comprised of adouble-based commercial propellant in a closed brass containerfabricated from a standard .38-caliber shell and ignited by a standardprimer used in conventional .38-caliber shells.

[0048] The ignited propellant builds up pressure to a point where theend of the closed brass container opens and the high pressure isreleased. The pressurized hot combustion produced from the burntpropellant then starts the forward acceleration of the projectile downthe rifled barrel. The projectile is ejected from the barrel at avelocity of preferably approximately 250 feet per second and travelstowards the intended target.

[0049] The variable-range less-than-lethal ballistic design incorporatesa transponder and radar-based tracking system along with an electronicdetonation package. The projectile is preferably nine inches long andweighs approximately 75 grams. In this configuration, a transponder islocated near the rear of the projectile. When the projectile leaves thebarrel of the firing platform, it passes over a sensor that turns on thetransponder. The transponder is then tracked by a radar system locatedon the firing platform. The projectile is then detonated at apredetermined distance from the target. This design means that thevariability rate of the ballistic is greatly reduced.

[0050] One concern is how to control the electronic components andenergy source once the projectile is detonated. The components andenergy source are preferably located near the rear of the projectile.The forward momentum of the electronic components and energy source isstopped when the expelling charge in the center tube is ignited.However, as an added safety feature, a small parachute is preferablyattached to the epoxy casting containing the electronic components andenergy source. The parachute automatically deploys when the projectileis detonated.

[0051] The launch platform for the radar triggered, variable rangeless-than-lethal projectile preferably has a rifled barrel. Riflingobviously imparts a spin to the projectile that aids in the stability ofthe projectile while it is in flight. However, depending onlength-to-diameter ratio of the projectiles, they may not requirespinning in order to have stable flight.

[0052] Again, the present invention provides a less-than-lethalballistic for law enforcement applications that can be used toimmobilize a suspect at distances up to 100 meters (or greater with lessaccuracy) without actually hitting the suspect and causing seriousinjury or death. A variety of “ultra-light artillery” ballistics arealso enabled for military operations.

[0053] Although the invention has been described in detail withparticular reference to these preferred embodiments, other embodimentscan achieve the same results. Variations and modifications of thepresent invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art and it isintended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications andequivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications,patents, and publications cited above are hereby incorporated byreference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A ballistic for grenade launchers comprisingmeans for air-burst detonation.
 2. The ballistic of claim 1 wherein saiddetonation means comprises a sensor that detonates the ballistic uponintersection of a beam.
 3. The ballistic of claim 2 wherein said beam isselected from the group consisting of infrared and acoustic beams. 4.The ballistic of claim 1 wherein said detonation means comprisesfilament ignition wires connectable to microprocessor detonation controlmeans on a grenade launcher.
 5. The ballistic of claim 1 wherein saiddetonation means comprises a radar-based trigger assembly.
 6. Theballistic of claim 5 wherein said radar-based trigger assembly comprisesa transponder turned on as said ballistic exits the grenade launcher. 7.The ballistic of claim 5 additionally comprising a parachute attached tosaid radar-based trigger assembly.
 8. The ballistic of claim 1 whereinsaid ballistic can be fired from an unmodified grenade launcher.
 9. Theballistic of claim 8 wherein said ballistic can be fired from anunmodified grenade launcher selected from the group consisting of M-79,M-203, Granatpistole, and Mk 19 grenade launchers.
 10. The ballistic ofclaim 1 additionally comprising concussion means.
 11. The ballistic ofclaim 10 wherein said ballistic creates on detonation a report betweenapproximately 120-300 decibels.
 12. The ballistic of claim 10 whereinsaid ballistic creates an overpressure between approximately 1.8-3.0psi.
 13. The ballistic of claim 1 additionally comprising aphosphorescent.
 14. The ballistic of claim 12 wherein said ballisticcreates a flash between approximately 300-700 mW/cm².
 15. The ballisticof claim 1 additionally comprising a chemical irritant.
 15. Theballistic of claim 14 wherein said chemical irritant comprisescapsaicin.
 16. The ballistic of claim 1 additionally comprisingconcussion means, a phosphorescent, and a chemical irritant.
 17. Theballistic of claim 1 additionally comprising a nose comprising anenergy-absorbing cavity.
 18. The ballistic of claim 1 wherein shrapnelis not created on detonation.
 19. The ballistic of claim 1 comprising acasing comprising rigid foam.
 20. A less-than-lethal ballisticcomprising: concussion means; a phosphorescent; and a chemical irritant.